Deans' future in ARU's hands

Robbie Deans says his coaching fate is in the hands of the Australian Rugby Union after the Wallabies handed the British and Irish Lions their first series victory in 16 years on Saturday.

Deans is in his sixth year as Wallabies coach and has been asked to re-apply for the job when his current two-year contract ends in December, with Brumbies coach Jake White and Reds coach Ewen McKenzie considered his main rivals in the bid to lead Australia to the next Rugby World Cup.

ARU boss Bill Pulver this week said Deans's fate would not be decided by the result of the three-Test Lions series but after the Wallabies slumped to a 41-16 loss in the series decider in Sydney there will be considerable pressure for Pulver and the board to act now.

Deans declined to mount a defence of his job, answering a question about whether he believed he was the right person to coach the side going forward by saying: "Those decisions will be made by others".

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When asked if he expected to be coach at the Rugby Championship when it starts in six weeks, he said: "You don't presume anything in this industry, as I said, those decisions are made by others, who knows".

The Rugby Championship is the Wallabies' next hit out and includes the first two Test matches of the Bledisloe Cup series, which Australia has not won since 2002.

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Pulver and the ARU board will also have to consider the proximity of the 2015 World Cup in London, and whether they should give a new coach - should they choose one - as much time as possible to build Australia's campaign.

Between McKenzie and White, ARU chairman Michael Hawker is understood to favour the current Brumbies coach, who also led South Africa to World Cup triumph in 2007.

Sections of the board are adamant that, after more than five years under a New Zealand coach, an Australian should be given the job. McKenzie is a frontrunner in that regard, having led the Reds to a Super Rugby title in 2011 and two consecutive finals campaigns since then.

It is not known whether there are other candidates who have been approached or have applied for the job.

Deans appeared deflated after watching the Wallabies lose their heads from the opening minutes of Saturday's match and spend the 80 minutes chasing the Lions.

But he reiterated his conviction the side was in a prime position to capitalise on a ragged season of injury-enforced development last year.

"[I'm] not excited obviously in terms of what we've just been through but that doesn't change the possibilities and potential of the group," Deans said.

"They're a better side than what they put out there tonight, that's the disappointing thing. On what was a very important occasion we came up well short and we contributed to a lot of it ourselves."

He said he had no doubt the side would re-group quickly ahead of the first match of the Rugby Championship, which doubles as the first Bledisloe Test, against the All Blacks in Sydney on August 17.

"It's a different competition, different opponent, different circumstance and a different method in terms of what's coming the other way," he said of the four-nation tournament.

"The Lions play a game that we're very familiar with, we're very conscious of the fact that we have to take them out of their comfort zone, we weren't able to do that, we gave them a leg up, which really allowed them to thrive.

"With a lead on the board it meant they could play in a way that meant they could really put the pressure back on us, then use the set piece. The Rugby Championship is a totally different tournament, I've got no doubt that these blokes will respond, they're too good not to."